I Accidentally Triggered the Restricted Punishment Protocol - Chapter 17

Yi Hanxing used an excuse to shake off Qin Lang and entered the washroom. She planned to slip out through the window to meet the rumored Lord of Wuxiang, as she felt that person was mysteriously similar to Qin Wuzhou.

However, as soon as she opened the window, she found herself staring at someone crouching by the wall outside. Yi Hanxing opened her mouth to shout, but the other person was incredibly agile, leaping into the room and covering her mouth.

It was the servant in white. He looked anxious and lowered his voice. “Number Sixty Seven, it is me, Number Fifty Eight!”

Yi Hanxing froze and pointed at herself. Was he talking to her?

Number Fifty Eight nodded, his tone somewhat lonely. “I really did not expect to see you again. I thought you had already escaped! Why did you return to the Ghost Market? If the Master finds you, you will die!”

As he spoke, he grew frantic again, dragging Yi Hanxing toward the door. “No, before anyone else recognizes you, you must leave quickly!”

Yi Hanxing was dizzy from his rambling. It took a moment before she could pry his hand away. “Do I know you?”

The man looked sorrowful. “Have you forgotten everything from the past? Well, perhaps it is for the best. To be like me, unable to forget, is simply living in misery.”

At first, Yi Hanxing suspected he had the wrong person, but then she remembered the gaps in the original body’s history in the novel The Overbearing Immortal’s Forced Love. She could no longer be sure.

“I had a serious illness the year before last, and I cannot remember much since I recovered. What is this Number Sixty Seven?”

The servant stared at her for a while, seemingly trying to discern if she was lying. After a long silence, he suddenly began to unfasten his belt without a word.

Yi Hanxing was terrified. Fortunately, he did not do anything inappropriate. He only rolled up his shirt slightly to reveal a pale red spider lily on his lower abdomen. It was the unique tattoo of a “furnace,” just like the one she had.

The difference was that his was faint with the number “58” below it, while hers was vibrant with the number “67” engraved beneath. Yi Hanxing’s breath hitched for a second.

Number Fifty Eight adjusted his clothes, his voice numb. “We were sold into the Fragrance Pavilion in the same batch. The Ghost Market labels every piece of cargo. I was Number Fifty Eight, and you were Number Sixty Seven.”

“Back then, I was beaten half to death. You risked your life to steal spiritual medicine for me, which resulted in you being severely beaten as well. From then on, I, Ding Wa, decided you were my only friend in this life.”

Ding Wa continued, “Because you were too stubborn, you were always fighting back and getting beaten, so you could not be sold. I was kept by the previous Lord of Wuxiang to work in the Linlang Mansion. Thanks to that, I was able to find ways to help you.”

“A long time passed until one hundred and forty eight years ago, when a powerful cultivator stormed the Ghost Market and killed the previous Lord. The market fell into chaos, and I lost track of you.”

One hundred and forty eight years. That was only two years after Qin Wuzhou fell into the demonic path and was entombed in the Skeleton Ruins. Hearing this specific year again made Yi Hanxing wonder.

“What did the cultivator who killed the previous Lord look like?”

Ding Wa paused. “He was very tall and dressed in purple. He did not use a sword. I heard he tore off the previous Lord’s head with his bare hands.”

Indeed, the style was very much like Qin Wuzhou.

Seeing her looking pensive and slow to react, Ding Wa grew urgent. “Forget all that! For all these years, I thought you had left the Ghost Market for good, yet you dare to return! If someone sees the mark on you, they will surely drag you back to the Fragrance Pavilion! You will never escape then!”

He began pulling Yi Hanxing toward the exit without further explanation. “I have served in the Linlang Mansion for many years and I know a secret passage. Take it and leave the Ghost Market immediately. Never come back!”

She could not just leave. Setting aside how she would explain it to Lin Wujiu, she could not possibly account for it to Qin Wuzhou. Yi Hanxing tried to explain, “I am with the cultivators from the Yuxu Mountain Sword Sect now. They will protect me.”

Ding Wa spat at her words. “Those hypocrites who talk of nothing but false righteousness! The Ghost Market has existed for years, and thousands of furnaces and slaves have died in vain. When have the people on the immortal mountain ever bothered to ask? Are their hands any cleaner? Do not think we do not know the previous Lord was just their dog!”

Yi Hanxing was stunned. “What do you mean?”

Ever since entering the Ghost Market, she had felt it was strange that such blatant kidnapping and torture went unnoticed. If the two sides were secretly in contact and the immortal sects accepted benefits to look the other way, then everything made sense.

A thread seemed to be connecting in her mind. she whispered, “The Ghost Market and the immortal sects have a secret deal, do they not?”

Ding Wa hesitated, avoiding her eyes. “I cannot say. I cannot reveal anything about the Master. If the Master found out… the Master is all powerful; he would surely know!”

She realized this man was like Dobby from Harry Potter. He was well intentioned, but his behavior was erratic and cryptic. Yi Hanxing could not deal with him and shook him off. “I know even if you do not tell me. The immortal sects took benefits from the Ghost Market and agreed to ignore its filthy existence, but five days ago, the Lord of Wuxiang suddenly went back on the deal and captured several Yuxu Mountain disciples.”

The turning point was five days ago when the Ghost Market became restless and the disciples disappeared. Five days ago was exactly when Qin Wuzhou obtained the Glass Sun from the Skeleton Ruins. At the time, she thought his weakness was due to the demonic energy, but perhaps it was because he had returned to the Ghost Market to capture those disciples.

There was no doubt he did all of this for Lin Wujiu. First, he drew Lin Wujiu out with the missing disciples, then used her as bait to distract him while he disguised himself as the Lord of Wuxiang to test him, eventually planning a final strike.

Yi Hanxing steadied herself and said to Ding Wa, “Actually, I did not tell you that I am also a cultivator now. I can protect myself.”

Fearing he would not believe her, she pulled a plum branch from a porcelain vase. Recalling the move Qin Wuzhou had taught her, she struck a pose in front of Ding Wa. “Eaglet Taking Flight!”

She used her spiritual energy, and a flash of light followed. The floor tiles instantly split into a deep groove as if struck by lightning. Both Yi Hanxing and Ding Wa were startled. This was her first time seriously using spiritual energy to swing a sword, and the power was unexpectedly impressive.

It seemed her “cheap” master had not held back when teaching her. However, with her current strength, she could only manage this one strike. Her furnace constitution was naturally unsuited for storing spiritual energy, and that single move had exhausted her completely.

Still, Yi Hanxing remained optimistic. She might be weak now, but that did not mean she would be forever. One good move could be enough. Who said a one punch man was not a hero? At least the display was enough to fool the inexperienced Ding Wa.

Ding Wa could not pull her away and was frightened by her strange move. He stood there looking quite pitiful.

Yi Hanxing could not help but say, “Actually, I might already know the current Lord of Wuxiang.” If her guess was correct, he was likely Qin Wuzhou’s new clone.

Ding Wa seemed to have post traumatic stress disorder. The moment she mentioned the Lord, his face turned pale and he began to tremble. “No, the Master is terrifying. He—”

“Miss Yi?” Qin Lang’s voice came from outside the door.

Ding Wa’s expression changed instantly, and he leapt out of the window to escape. Yi Hanxing then turned back to open the door as if nothing had happened.

Qin Lang stood outside with his hands behind his back. Hearing her, he turned around and gave her a brilliant smile. Yi Hanxing felt an odd sense of guilt, as if she had been caught red handed.

Once Yi Hanxing regained her composure and walked over, Qin Lang smiled. “You took a long time and missed the excitement. It concerns Senior Uncle Lin; you will surely never guess what happened.”

In fact, she actually knew. Was it finally happening? The fated first meeting between the male and female leads from the original book!

Yi Hanxing remained silent, temporarily putting the big villain and his schemes aside. The male lead of the original book was blessed with great luck and would not be defeated so easily.

She feigned curiosity. “Do not keep me in suspense, Immortal Qin. Tell me, what happened?”

Qin Lang said, “Senior Uncle Lin got drunk and has been pestering a woman.”

Yi Hanxing asked, “Oh! What does she look like?”

He glanced at her and smiled again. “As for her looks, she is fairly pretty, about the same as you.”

Yi Hanxing took it as a tease and smiled. She grabbed his sleeve with one hand and lifted her skirt with the other, running toward the banquet hall. “Then let us go and see.”

Before even entering the hall, they could hear a loud argument inside. It was Wu Yingzi’s voice, sounding very tense. “Where are you taking my Senior Uncle?”

“If your eyes are useless, you can donate them to someone in need,” another ethereal and calm voice said. “It is clearly your Senior Uncle who refuses to let go of me.”

This had to be the female lead, Wei Ruyi. She was as cold and sharp tongued as described in the book.

Wu Yingzi sounded exasperated. “Senior Uncle, wake up! Let go of this lady immediately!”

There was a sound of scuffling mixed with Lin Wujiu’s slurred, drunken words. “This lady, hic, Ruyi, Ruyi, your name is so beautiful. The moment I saw you, hic, my heart started beating so fast. Are we, hic, fated?”

Of course his heart was beating fast; that was the effect of the Thousand Thread Love Poison. Wei Ruyi must have been poisoned as well. Although her voice sounded calm, she could not pull herself away from Lin Wujiu.

Yi Hanxing arrived at the scene and sat on the doorstep, ready to enjoy the drama. Qin Lang looked at his sleeve, which she had let go of, before sitting down beside her.

Yi Hanxing looked at him in confusion. “What are you still doing here?”

She intended to politely suggest he stop following her, but Qin Lang interpreted it differently. He leaned his head on his hand and smiled. “Senior Uncle Lin does not need my help. Besides, do you know why Senior Uncle Lin is nicknamed the Shura Sword?”

Without waiting for her answer, he continued with a grin, “A man like a Shura, a sword that slays the dead. It means those who die by his sword do not even leave a soul behind. You should be worried about the girl he is pestering.”

Yi Hanxing widened her eyes, pretending to be concerned. “Immortal Lin looks so gentle and refined; I did not expect him to be so ruthless.”

She thought to herself: So what if the original male lead is fierce? He is only devoted to the female lead. He would sooner kill himself than hurt Wei Ruyi. He was the king of double standards!

Furthermore, having read the latter half of the book, she knew the two of them fell in love at first sight. They were just both too stubborn or cold to admit it. Since they were a match made in heaven, she, a minor character, would not interfere.

However, remembering that one of Qin Wuzhou’s clones might be watching from the shadows, Yi Hanxing had to act. She took the corner of her sleeve and began to wipe away non-existent tears. Qin Lang looked at her curiously, seemingly finding it amusing, and smiled silently.

“Oh, everyone is so lively here.” The commotion finally drew the Lord of Wuxiang. He had also been drinking and walked toward the tense Yuxu Mountain disciples with staggering steps. He scratched his chin. “This immortal looks a bit familiar?”

Wu Yingzi stammered, “My Senior Uncle is drunk. We will take him back now.”

Lin Wujiu acted like a complete drunkard, swaying as he waved his hands. He accidentally knocked the mask off the Lord of Wuxiang’s face, revealing an incredibly plain and ugly face with triangular eyes and a bulbous nose.

He looked nothing like Qin Wuzhou. Yi Hanxing, watching everything, forgot to keep up her fake crying and let out a surprised “Eh?”

Sitting beside her, Qin Lang glanced at her. “You seem very surprised?”

Yi Hanxing was doubting herself. Given Qin Wuzhou’s flamboyant style, he would never choose such an ugly man as a clone. Was her reasoning wrong from the start? She said vaguely, “No, I just thought the Lord of Wuxiang wore a mask because he was too handsome.”

Qin Lang let out a hearty laugh. “Interesting.”

Yi Hanxing did not have time to deal with him because Wu Yingzi was already helping Lin Wujiu out and waving at her. Beside them stood a tall girl in a white dress with blue borders, looking like a wave in the wind. She had her hair in a simple bun and possessed exquisite features, though she wore a stern expression while holding onto Lin Wujiu’s arm.

Seeing the original female lead for the first time, Yi Hanxing could not help but stare. When she finally looked away, she locked eyes with Qin Lang, who was watching her.

She paused before showing a confused expression. “Immortal Qin?”

Qin Lang suddenly said, “Miss Yi seems particularly concerned about Senior Uncle Lin’s affairs? You were weeping just now because he was involved with another woman, and now…”

Yi Hanxing realized he might say something ridiculous in front of the leads. She quickly covered his mouth, shook her head vigorously, and whispered, “What do you know! If Immortal Lin is with someone else, I will not be able to live!” Qin Wuzhou would definitely not let her off!

With his mouth covered, Qin Lang’s bright black eyes were full of innocence and amusement. He gave a soft “mm-hmm.” Yi Hanxing realized she was being too dramatic and quickly withdrew her hand, whispering an apology.

Qin Lang looked at her, touched his lips and cheek where her palm had been, and then gave a cold smile before turning to leave.

The next day, Qin Wuzhou woke from a light sleep. The candles had burned all night, leaving only piles of wax. He rolled over and sat up, and the undergarment he had forgotten to return to someone slid out of his sleeve.

As he noticed a certain sensation, his expression turned strange again. It had been a long time since he felt this way in the morning. After a moment, he let out a long breath and fell back onto the bed.

He placed the thin, fragrant fabric over his face, blocking his vision. The world seemed to be shrouded in a faint, ambiguous pink. Amidst his increasingly rapid and heavy breathing, the fabric felt as light as a feather, rising and falling with the warm air like a trembling butterfly about to take flight.

Qin Wuzhou took another deep breath and reached down with a blank expression.